When Great War veteran Laurence Bartram arrives in Easton Deadall, he is struck by the beauty of the place: a crumbling manor, a venerable church, and a memorial to the village’s soldiers, almost all of whom died in one bloody battle. Now peace prevails, but Easton Deadall remains haunted by tragedy—as does the Easton family.

In 1911, five-year-old Kitty disappeared from her bed and has not been seen in thirteen years; only her fragile mother still believes she is alive. While Laurence is a guest of the manor, a maid vanishes in a sinister echo of Kitty’s disappearance. And when a body is discovered in the manor’s ancient church, Laurence is drawn into the grounds’ forgotten places, where deadly secrets lie in wait.

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Quotes & Awards

“Leisurely and absorbing…a series to be savoured.”

Guardian (London)

“[This] intelligent
depiction of the many wounds of war, suffered not only in the trenches but also
on the home front, resonates.”

Listener Opinions

" Struggled to page 100 and then decided to stop and try a different book. "

by Dottie Gariti | 2/4/2014

" The first that I have read by this author and I am hooked. Laurence Bartram is a haunted, introspective man thrown into an interesting situation and as he unfolds the past it is a great read. "

by Rachel | 1/10/2014

" Beautifully researched period mystery. "

by Jane Walker | 1/9/2014

" Set in 1920s Wiltshire, in a country house which hides many secrets. But it's oddly flat and unsatisfying. The story is seen through the eyes of Laurence Bartram, a guest and outsider. Yet there seems to be nothing going on in his mind. Several days pass with nothing happening, and we have no clue that he has thought about events. For at least half of the book, the story is slow. Then, as we learn what really happened before the war, a completely extraneous sex scene is thrown in. Disappointing. "

" "The Strange Fate of Kitty Easton" was well written. It takes place in England in 1924 and in this post WWI era the lives of most of the characters have to deal with the devastating effects that the war has had on their families. It is not a traditional mystery and the tone is rather subdued,somewhat depressing,and with little action (except for one chapter where two characters have to physically struggle to survive in some underground caves!) The resolution of the story is handled sensibly by the ever tactful and cautious main character, Laurence Bartram. He is a WWI veteran whose wife has died. I had read the first book of Elizabeth Speller's in this series featuring Laurence Bartram and decided to try this one after reading the review in the "Boston Globe." "

Riodelmartians | 12/26/2013

" Great period piece piggybacking on downton abbey and maisie dobbs. A depiction of family decadence at its best and worst. "

Joy | 12/10/2013

" One more WWI novel, England big house, fall of the before-war life-style. Reading,it seemed familiar,later found I had read another book by Elizabeth Speller, Return of Captain John Emmett. The maze idea was clever. "

Elisa | 11/30/2013

" Interesting plot line. I found the references to characters' emotional struggles in post WW I England thought-provoking. "

Chris | 10/23/2013

" a new twist on the country house murder but a bit long and drawn out - needed editing "

Donna Irwin | 7/28/2013

" Loved this slow but wonderfully drawn story. Captured the atmosphere after ww1. Only half way through did I realise I should have read the first book! "

Amy | 7/11/2013

" I tried really hard to get into this book because the premise/plot sounded awesome, but it was so hard to get into and didn't hold my interest at all. Sad. "

Connie | 3/17/2013

" This was terrific!! Loved the setting of the English country house and the mystery of the 5yr old girl who disappears. Can't wait for the next one in the series and the continued story of Lawrence and Mary. A little slow in the beginning but definitely a good read. Loved the ending. "

Jenelle | 3/6/2013

" quirky story line "

Stephanie | 11/20/2012

" Really enjoyed The Return of Captain John Emmet and hoped this would be as good. It was, if not better. Wonderful writer. Can't wait for her next offering! "

Nancy | 11/12/2012

" I liked this even better than her first book. Hope this will turn into a series of Laurence Bartrum. "

Savannah | 10/19/2012

" Really enjoyed this. I didn't realize it was a mystery until I glanced at the back cover. "

Kimberly | 9/14/2012

" This one was difficult to get into, seemed pretty dry at first-had about 200 pages too many. A little disappointed at the ending, but still an overall interesting read. "

Kat | 7/26/2012

" I listened to this book on tape: a great experience. Britain post WWI. An old(er) mystery (disappearance of Kitty), some new mysteries, v. good characters. All nicely resolved. "

Other Titles by Elizabeth Speller:

About the Author

Elizabeth Speller studied classics at Cambridge. She has written for various publications, and has taught at the universities of Cambridge, Birmingham, and Bristol. She divides her life between Gloucestershire and Greece.

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